Returning from Abroad

Credit Transfer Procedures

If you go abroad on a program sponsored by an accredited American
college, or if you enroll at an overseas university which issues an
American-style transcript, credit is transferred as from any American
college. The institution simply sends a transcript to the Center for
Study Abroad, and a study abroad adviser evaluates the transcript and
applies the credits toward your University of Rochester record, as
appropriate. This process usually takes two to four months after you
finish your studies overseas, so do not expect your credits to appear
instantly on your transcript.

Credits may be transferred for
elective and for major credit. Course Approval Forms for this purpose
are available at the Center for Study Abroad and at the Center for
Academic Support. You may transfer courses toward Clusters if you go on a
UR-sponsored study abroad program. Consult with the authorized faculty
member in the relevant department.

Credit for Language Courses

The
Department of Modern Languages and Cultures will NOT grant credit to
students who enroll in a class (in particular a language/grammar class)
that is at the same or a lower level as a class they have taken before
their semester abroad. For example, if a student has taken an
intermediate language course at the U of R, they may not receive credit
for taking a basic or beginning language or the same intermediate class
abroad. In addition, courses that duplicate the literature or film or
culture content of MLC courses taken before study abroad will not be
granted credit.

In order to avoid credit transfer confusion or
problems it is imperative that each student consult with the appropriate
adviser in MLC before departure and registration.

Elective Credit

Bring
or send an official catalogue description of each course to the Center
for Study Abroad, preferably before you leave for your semester abroad.
Courses that are comparable to those offered at the University of
Rochester will be approved for elective credit. An example of an
approved course is "REL/AAS 241 African Religions: An Introduction"
(from Syracuse University's program in Strasbourg, France). An example
of a course not approved is "Viticulture" (from the IES program at the
University of Melbourne, Australia). In some cases, you may be asked to
submit the description to a faculty member for approval. All foreign
language courses need approval from the Department of Modern Languages
and Cultures or the Department of Religion and Classics.

Major and Minor Credit

Bring
a Course Approval Form, along with the description(s) of the course(s)
in question, to the appropriate faculty member. The names of the faculty
members in charge of approving transfer credit are posted at the
Academic Information Counter at the Center for Academic Support and and
may be found online at: www.rochester.edu/College/CCAS/Authsign.html.
You must have an officially declared major to do this. If you do not,
bring a major or minor form with you when you see the faculty adviser.

Clusters

The
College's Curriculum Committee will allow students to transfer courses
from UR-sponsored study abroad programs into Clusters. This may be done
by proposing an exception to an existing, departmental Cluster, or by
proposing an individualized interdepartmental Cluster. Please note that
approval is not automatic. Consult with a study abroad adviser for
details.

How You'll Get Credit

Transcripts

On
completion of the program, it is your responsibility to see that the
college which sponsored your program sends an official transcript to the
Center for Study Abroad. Credit will be granted for all approved
courses in which you have earned a C or better.

Be aware that
grades and transcripts are often issued by study abroad programs several
months after you complete your studies overseas. Transcripts from
spring semester programs may arrive in our office from July until
October. Fall program transcripts normally arrive between February and
May. If you go abroad as a first-semester senior, it is essential to
request your transcript from the program as early as possible.

Credits

Many
American colleges and universities are based on a 120 credit system, in
contrast to UR, which requires 128 credits to complete the
undergraduate degree. Transfer credit is awarded on a proportional
basis. If you take five three-credit courses on another school's
program, credit will be evaluated according to this formula: 15/120 =
x/128; x = 16 credits. In most cases, a full semester (or year) of study
completed elsewhere is worth a full semester (or year) at UR. In any
event, study abroad students must complete the equivalent of 16
Rochester credits per semester. Underloads are not permitted during
study abroad. Even if the program allows for an underload, Rochester
students are required to carry a full load.

Internships and Independent Study

With
the exception of the University's Internships in Europe program,
independent studies or internships taken on study abroad programs cannot
receive pre-approval for transfer credit. While completing the
independent study or internship, be sure to keep documentation of all
academic work. Upon return, you will need to submit this documentation
to an appropriate faculty member in order for transfer credit to be
granted. It is in your best interest to discuss your plans with faculty
before going overseas because some departments do not grant transfer
credit for independent studies or internships, even for elective credit.

Grading

Grades
for courses graded by University of Rochester faculty appear on the
transcript and are calculated into the grade point average (GPA). In
most cases, study abroad courses are not graded by Rochester faculty.
The two most notable exceptions are the "Rochester in Arezzo" program,
and the internship portion of the "Internships in Europe" programs.

Grades received on University of Rochester-sponsored programs appear on your UR transcript but do not count in your GPA.

Grades
earned on programs sponsored by other colleges do not appear on your
University of Rochester transcript and do not count in your GPA.